2003 Acura mdx with 67K miles. I’ll be driving down the road and randomly the car feels like it’s going over rumble strips and only last a few seconds. It just rattles or vibrates at the front end area. I have checked the neoprene boots at front end and they are fine. I’m at a loss to what it could be. It does it with cruise on or without and it does it every time you go somewhere but again it only does it for about 5 seconds each time it does it. Tires are good, pressure and tread. Help!
Is it at all related to your pressure on the gas pedal / cruising speed. E.g. - does it maybe do it just as your speed has stabilized after some acceleration (even if mild) or just as you get on the accelerator, even if a little bit? You maybe can’t tell with the cruise control on, but pay attention to that and see if it has anything to do with it.
There’s also a lot more to inspecting a front end than just eyeballing boots & bushings. Perhaps a complete once over by a front end/alignment shop is in order.
yes it does seem to be related to the gas pedal pressure. we put it on cruise last night to see if it did it while on cruise as well and it did. Although it does it while on cruise as well, it seems to do it a lot when at low speeds you let off the gas pedal. Like when making turns, slowing down for curves, traffic, etc and things like that. What else on the front end can I inspect that might narrow the possibilities down? ,
I also forgot to ask whether or not it was an automatic, but now I’ll assume that it is. (If the transmission is manual then you can ignore this). This sounds like torque converter clutch shudder. In higher gears at cruising speed the torque converter clutch locks the engine & transmission together. On acceleration & deceleration the clutch should unlock. You are probably feeling that clutch shuddering as it tries to lock/unlock.
What you probably need is your best local transmission shop - local means not a national chain.
Check your transmission fluid for level, color & smell. Has this transmission ever been serviced? You should be just past your second service.